The 10 Best Neighborhoods In Kansas City, MO For 2024


The best Kansas City neighborhoods are Armour Hills and South Plaza for 2024 based on Saturday Night Science.

Best Neighborhoods In Kansas City
Source: Wikipedia User | CC-BY-SA-3.0

Folks in Kansas City have a lot to celebrate. And not just because the Chiefs won the Super Bowl last season. It’s among the most diverse places in Missouri, a cultural hub that represents the best of the American midwest.

Kansas City boasts more fountains than Rome, so it’s not hard to see how it got the nickname the City of Fountains. But a nickname like “the City of Boulevards” would be equally apt, seeing as KC has more boulevards than any city in the world, except Paris. What’s clear is that Kansas City is one snazzy city that puts a premium on aesthetic quality. I mean, Swope Park is twice the size of NYC’s Central Park, so you know locals value gorgeous outdoor spaces.

And KC isn’t just a treat for the eyes. With a storied tradition of promoting jazz musicians from the 1920s up until the present day, your ears are likely to be treated to some seriously tasty tunes as well. Arts and culture are valued almost as highly as what is possibly Kansas City’s greatest pride: mouthwatering barbecue.

All right, that’s enough on how awesome Kansas City is, but can we be a bit more specific? Where can we find the best neighborhoods, complete with line-out-the-door BBQ joints, the hippest jazz venues, and the most majestic fountains? Well, it seems as though Kansas City’s southside enjoys an advantage over the city’s northern end. We came to that conclusion by looking at the statistics that translate into a high quality of life: high incomes, a high-quality market for both jobs and housing, low crime, and of course, plenty of entertaining things to do and see.

Don’t get spooked by the high home prices in Armour Fields; there are loads of great neighborhoods in Kansas City that don’t have such a high price tag. For example, taking a five-minute drive southeast of Armour Fields will bring you to Tower Homes, where homes are less than half the price. Or if you want a nice combination of high incomes and affordable home prices, Armour Hills might be just the ticket.

Pull up some BBQ ribs, throw on some Louis Armstrong, and get ready to start living like a Kansas City Royal, because we’re visiting KC’s best neighborhoods.


Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table


The Best Neighborhoods In Kansas City For 2024

  1. Armour Hills
  2. South Plaza
  3. Westwood
  4. River Market
  5. Morningside
  6. Ward Parkway
  7. Longfellow
  8. Volker
  9. West Plaza
  10. Western 49-63

These are Kansas City’s cream of the crop neighborhoods — the ones with solid employment numbers, low crime, and great housing options. And, of course, a surplus of fun things to do that reflect what makes Kansas City such a great place to live. In any case, they’re miles away (in quality) from Kansas City’s worst neighborhoods.

So, what neighborhood came in as the absolute best in Kansas City for 2024? According to the data, Armour Hills is the best neighborhood to live in Kansas City.

Is your favorite fountain, BBQ joint, or jazz club in a different neighborhood than one featured on the list above? Check out the complete list of Kansas City neighborhood rankings down below to see how your neighborhood fared.

For more Missouri reading, check out:

The 10 Best Neighborhoods To Live In Kansas City

Armour Hills Kansas City, MO

Source: Wikipedia User | CC BY 3.0

Population: 2,130
Median Home Value: $308,700 (Seventh best)
Median Income: $124,347 (best)
More on Armour Hills: Data | Real Estate

Population: 2,747
Median Home Value: $414,133 (Third best)
Median Income: $75,496 (15th best)
More on South Plaza: Data | Real Estate

Population: 800
Median Home Value: $281,400 (Tenth best)
Median Income: $103,164 (Fourth best)
More on Westwood: Data | Real Estate

Population: 2,247
Median Home Value: $438,500 (Second best)
Median Income: $76,806 (13th best)
More on River Market: Data | Real Estate

Morningside Kansas City, MO

Source: Flickr User pasa47 | CC BY 2.0

Population: 1,534
Median Home Value: $317,250 (Sixth best)
Median Income: $115,357 (Second best)
More on Morningside: Data | Real Estate

Ward Parkway Kansas City, MO

Source: Wikipedia User | GFDL

Population: 2,577
Median Home Value: $213,267 (24th best)
Median Income: $80,602 (11th best)
More on Ward Parkway: Data | Real Estate

Population: 1,990
Median Home Value: $278,450 (11th best)
Median Income: $69,637 (23rd best)
More on Longfellow: Data | Real Estate

Population: 3,765
Median Home Value: $281,675 (Ninth best)
Median Income: $65,231 (28th best)
More on Volker: Data | Real Estate

Population: 4,278
Median Home Value: $211,660 (25th best)
Median Income: $71,537 (20th best)
More on West Plaza: Data | Real Estate

Population: 4,461
Median Home Value: $273,525 (12th best)
Median Income: $71,579 (19th best)
More on Western 49-63: Data | Real Estate

Methodology: How We Determined The Best Kansas City, MO Neighborhoods In 2024

To rank the best neighborhoods in Kansas City, we had to determine what criteria define “best” and then apply Saturday Night Science to it.

Using FBI crime, Census, and extrapolated BLS data, we arrived at the following set of criteria:

  • High incomes
  • Low unemployment rates
  • Low crime
  • High home prices
  • High population densities (A proxy for things to do)

We then ranked each neighborhood with scores from 1 to 123 in each category, where 1 was the best.

Next, we averaged the rankings for each neighborhood to create a best neighborhood index.

And finally, we crowned the neighborhood with the lowest best neighborhood index, the “Best City Neighborhood In Kansas City.” We’re lookin’ at you, Armour Hills.

Read on below to learn more about what it’s like to live in the best places Kansas City, Missouri has to offer. Or skip to the end to see the list of all the neighborhoods in the city, from best to worst.

We updated this article for 2024. This report is our tenth time ranking the best neighborhoods to live in Kansas City.

Summary: Putting A Bow On Our Analysis Of The Best Neighborhoods In Kansas City

If you’re measuring the neighborhoods in Kansas City where crime is low and everyone wants to live, this is an accurate list.

The best neighborhoods in Kansas City are Armour Hills, South Plaza, Westwood, River Market, Morningside, Ward Parkway, Longfellow, Volker, West Plaza, and Western 49-63.

As mentioned earlier, the neighborhoods in Kansas City aren’t all good. South Blue Valley takes the title of the worst neighborhood to live in Kansas City.

The worst neighborhoods in Kansas City are South Blue Valley, Eastwood Hills West, Blue Valley Industrial, Sheffield, and Marlborough East.

We ranked the neighborhoods from best to worst in the chart below.

For more Missouri reading, check out:

Best Neighborhoods To Live In Kansas City For 2024 Detailed Data

Rank Neighborhood Population Home Value Median Income
1 Armour Hills 2,130 $308,700 $124,347
2 South Plaza 2,747 $414,133 $75,496
3 Westwood 800 $281,400 $103,164
4 River Market 2,247 $438,500 $76,806
5 Morningside 1,534 $317,250 $115,357
6 Ward Parkway 2,577 $213,267 $80,602
7 Longfellow 1,990 $278,450 $69,637
8 Volker 3,765 $281,675 $65,231
9 West Plaza 4,278 $211,660 $71,537
10 Western 49-63 4,461 $273,525 $71,579
11 Tower Homes 5,669 $176,600 $78,097
12 Oak Meyer Gardens 1,513 $259,400 $51,154
13 Country Lane Estates 2,053 $229,300 $48,938
14 Royal Oaks 1,622 $177,900 $61,198
15 West Waldo 1,414 $180,700 $67,534
16 Plaza Westport 1,252 $271,150 $86,275
17 Unity Ridge 1,150 $333,300 $93,542
18 Central Business District-Downtown 4,364 $191,233 $52,423
19 Red Ridge South 2,970 $227,900 $46,227
20 Central Hyde Park 1,789 $335,650 $103,888
21 Crown Center 1,455 $244,133 $74,465
22 Blue Vue Hills 2,047 $172,200 $70,125
23 White Oak 2,802 $112,000 $58,733
24 Mission Lake 3,585 $185,800 $73,739
25 Faireway Hills 2,342 $128,200 $74,063
26 Ward Parkway Plaza 472 $173,600 $54,063
27 Willow Creek 4,014 $144,350 $48,485
28 Southmoreland 3,950 $197,680 $53,798
29 Valentine 1,449 $300,000 $44,362
30 Roanoke 400 $600,000 $85,000
31 Birdlespur 1,364 $168,650 $89,478
32 Stayton Meadows 2,325 $119,400 $64,711
33 Lea Manor 1,900 $200,000 $85,491
34 Kirkside 1,255 $100,000 $41,678
35 Blue Hills Estates 1,520 $224,800 $53,319
36 Saint Catherine’s Gardens 2,573 $119,000 $62,102
37 Union Hill 505 $248,100 $70,612
38 Martin City 825 $256,800 $65,500
39 Hanover Place 2,668 $221,800 $43,479
40 Highview Estates 2,096 $246,833 $76,796
41 South Hyde Park 1,949 $193,600 $56,936
42 North Hyde Park 1,875 $245,150 $26,801
43 Little Blue Valley 3,670 $195,320 $81,899
44 Western Hills 1,935 $147,600 $65,350
45 Bonne Hills 1,787 $151,933 $59,294
46 Santa Fe Hills 2,029 $153,067 $58,618
47 Linden Hills And Indian Heights 2,401 $151,250 $59,897
48 Eastern 49-63 3,305 $123,833 $42,741
49 South India Mound 5,458 $66,050 $44,198
50 North India Mound 5,296 $75,800 $36,925
51 Bannister Ares 1,518 $121,350 $50,536
52 Sarritt Point 4,325 $72,520 $35,911
53 Pendleton Heights 3,798 $164,225 $33,780
54 Holmes Park 932 $183,600 $49,125
55 Eastwood Hill East 3,615 $87,900 $51,980
56 Park Farms 3,340 $103,850 $44,742
57 Oldham Farms 953 $81,300 $52,880
58 Sterling Acres 766 $97,500 $49,100
59 Richards Gebaur 1,125 $202,350 $37,652
60 Citadel 1,889 $165,700 $38,155
61 Fairlane 5,035 $95,675 $48,856
62 Oakwood 1,007 $127,350 $45,714
63 Westside North 2,059 $182,233 $54,386
64 Fairwood And Robandee 3,165 $103,825 $40,445
65 Robandee South 1,511 $77,000 $60,170
66 Vineyard 2,555 $49,600 $41,246
67 Palestine West And Oak Park Northeast 1,209 $64,500 $40,926
68 Hillcrest 452 $127,800 $40,368
69 Loma Vista 2,463 $139,250 $33,200
70 Oak Park Southwest 2,474 $37,200 $68,433
71 Hickman Mills South 1,301 $70,350 $53,599
72 Bleheim Square-Research Hospital 1,652 $66,000 $23,264
73 Manheim Park 1,523 $172,600 $32,012
74 Swope Park Campus 1,042 $101,833 $36,687
75 Wendell Phillips 1,761 $158,800 $38,080
76 Oak Park Southeast 1,268 $41,100 $37,805
77 Ivanhoe Northeast 866 $44,900 $38,728
78 Country Valley-Hawthorn Square 340 $158,500 $45,549
79 Brown Estates 907 $115,100 $52,884
80 East Community Team South 3,804 $29,800 $41,411
81 Vineyard Northwest 1,054 $40,800 $41,277
82 Ruskin Hills 3,088 $88,300 $50,824
83 Self Help Neighborhood Council 2,054 $67,250 $35,040
84 West Blue Township 915 $54,200 $32,400
85 East Meyer 4,625 $76,560 $35,925
86 North Town Fork Creek 2,979 $124,514 $35,811
87 Riss Lake 2,564 $112,200 $36,372
88 Santa Fe 2,103 $56,775 $29,174
89 Stanford Estates 1,771 $80,300 $54,219
90 Ruskin Heights 4,791 $70,825 $37,661
91 Westside South 1,545 $142,600 $42,276
92 Blue Hills 4,600 $52,914 $40,152
93 Oak Park Northwest 2,576 $47,600 $23,026
94 East Sqope Highlands 927 $104,300 $33,356
95 Beacon Hills 1,198 $158,800 $40,562
96 Key Coalition 1,846 $45,500 $26,845
97 Ivanhoe Southeast 1,613 $33,200 $38,880
98 Ashland Ridge 1,525 $74,700 $19,189
99 Norble And Gregory Ridge 1,842 $66,367 $36,942
100 East Community Team North 3,155 $74,000 $33,534
101 Washington Weatley 1,876 $51,900 $35,113
102 Marlborough Heights-Marlborough Pride 2,591 $33,080 $26,330
103 Lewis Heights 362 $103,400 $27,024
104 Linwood Homeowner-Ivanhoe 1,346 $56,500 $21,750
105 Indipendence Plaza 2,338 $68,020 $24,060
106 Swope Parkway-Elmwood 2,541 $67,933 $31,053
107 West Blue Valley 1,865 $39,200 $18,654
108 South Town Fork Creek 1,067 $52,900 $31,216
109 Hickman Mills 3,183 $111,540 $35,914
110 Lykins 4,392 $56,100 $23,420
111 Ingleside 1,110 $50,750 $33,365
112 Northest Industrial District 145 $58,350 $31,608
113 Knoches Park 1,930 $41,200 $25,932
114 Legacy East 1,312 $68,600 $18,207
115 North Blue Ridge 876 $44,800 $30,060
116 Hidden Valley 1,558 $50,300 $23,533
117 East Blue Valley 1,999 $43,550 $30,520
118 Central Blue Valley-Park Tower Grade 1,419 $51,750 $14,866
119 Marlborough East 1,117 $78,333 $29,086
120 Sheffield 2,555 $45,167 $32,100
121 Blue Valley Industrial 1,129 $47,300 $33,803
122 Eastwood Hills West 1,462 $29,200 $40,532
123 South Blue Valley 1,403 $46,200 $25,971
About Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar has been in the real estate business for almost ten years now. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks.

He believes the key to finding the right place to live comes down to looking at the data, reading about things to do, and, most importantly, checking it out yourself before you move.

If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already.

You can find out more about him on LinkedIn or his website.